Corsica · France · Pinnacle · Wall
Le Clocher
A blue-water descent with no reference until the rock shows at 27 m
Area photo: Arnaud Abadie · CC BY 3.0
Le Clocher is a submerged rock standing in the middle of Calvi Bay, far from the coast, and it is the area's most serious dive. The summit is at 27 m; below it, against a sandy backdrop, gorgonian-covered rock rises from between 40 and 50 m, with flabellinas and giant sea slugs living on it. Reserved for experienced divers.
Where it is and how deep
42.5852° N, 8.7870° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
There is no shoreline to work off here. The sec sits in the middle of Calvi Bay, far from the coast, and you leave the boat and descend into blue. Nothing appears until about 27 m, when the top of the rock comes up out of the haze. That descent is why the site is reserved for experienced divers: it is a depth-and-buoyancy dive before it is a sightseeing one.
From the top, the topography and the sessile life on it are the attraction. Against the sandy backdrop, rocks covered with gorgonians rise from between 40 and 50 m, and the flabellinas and giant sea slugs living on them are the reason to carry a torch. Depths like that keep bottom time short, so most of the dive is spent on the rock immediately below the 27 m summit, with the deeper gorgonian ground looked at rather than worked.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Corsica: Corsica's dive season runs roughly May to October; July and August are the peak tourist months, so June and September give the same sites with fewer boats.
Know before you go
- The descent is through open blue with no visual reference until 27 m. Use a line if the boat puts one in, watch the computer rather than the surroundings, and stay in contact with the group.
- The gorgonian rock is at 40–50 m, past recreational limits, and there is nothing shallow on this site to correct on. Agree a maximum depth before the descent.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Le Clocher in Calvi Bay?+
The top of the rock is at 27 m, reached by descending through open water with no reference. Below it, gorgonian-covered rock rises from between 40 and 50 m, so the recreational dive works around the summit and the site is rated for experienced divers only.
Sources
- LE CLOCHER - Scubago — Scubago
More dive sites in Corsica
Wreck
A wartime Flying Fortress upright on clean sand at 25–28 m
Drop-offs and underwater canyons between 15 and 40 m, northeast of Calvi
Sand slope
A marble statue on the sand at 24 m, and the bay's octopus ground
Pinnacle
A line of pitons from the surface down, best in the top 12 m
Pinnacle
Drop-offs, rocks and plateaus between 10 and 40 m
Pinnacle
A rocky peak at 15–40 m with dentex, grouper and schooling barracuda
Pinnacle
A submerged rock from 22 m down to 40 m, advanced and expert only
Reef
Reefs, caves and drop-offs from 5 m to 50 m by the research station
Similar dives elsewhere
Barracuda over a 2.5 m summit, gorgonians and a 2005 wreck below
Maze-like rock stacks full of red sea fans to 40 m
Rock heads rising from 40 m to the surface
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Rock towers rising from 50 m to 6 m below the surface